CEO Defends Blackwater

Prince tells Congress company behaved well in 'complex war zone'
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:25 PM CDT
CEO Defends Blackwater
Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, before the House Oversight Committee hearing examining the mission and performance of the private military contractor Blackwater in Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photos/Susan Walsh)   (Associated Press)

Blackwater USA's CEO testified before Congress today that his company was misjudged by an oversight committee that determined Blackwater employees show a pattern of reckless civilian shootings. Erik Prince maintained his personnel reacted normally to "a complex war zone" on Sept. 16 when they were involved in an incident that left at least eight civilians dead, the Times reports.

During the 4-hour hearing, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee urged the panel not to judge out of hand while Democrats hammered Prince on specific incidents, such as the murder of an Iraqi vice presidential guard by a drunk Blackwater employee. The employee was fired but not detained or investigated, something Prince maintains is out of Blackwater's jurisdiction. (More Erik Prince stories.)

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